tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46296487472284871452026-10-18T18:58:09.997+01:00A handy resource for parents to help them find out about the money matters which affect them once little people come along.Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-21209769628640270282017-11-07T09:57:00.000+00:002017-11-07T09:58:02.582+00:00

Although the shops were gradually reminding us that Christmas was on its way back in August, if you’re anything like me, you’ll only really be starting to think about it now that Halloween and Bonfire Night are over.  Christmas can be such an expensive time but there are lots of ways you can cut the cost: Write a list of the people you need to buy presents for, set a budget

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-65225866735423194842017-08-03T09:23:00.000+01:002017-08-03T09:23:20.590+01:00

Summer holidays – a time for Teachers to take a break and finally get around to doing all those little jobs that they just can’t fit in during term time.  Like, for example, claiming a tax rebate from HMRC on your fees and subscriptions or for sports clothing for PE. Many Teachers are not aware that such refunds are due to them.  There are many companies who will

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-71851274394706675432017-07-18T14:46:00.000+01:002017-11-23T11:00:32.249+00:00

To help you take time off work with your baby, if you are an employee, you may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) which is a payment from the government and is paid to you via your employer.  (You may also be lucky enough to have this enhanced by a company maternity pay scheme). Do I qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)? To qualify for SMP you must meet the

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-12841063574420643652016-03-26T07:45:00.000+00:002016-04-07T21:15:08.929+01:00

Perhaps you don’t qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your Employer as you haven’t worked there long enough or you don’t earn enough.  Perhaps you are unemployed or maybe you are your own boss and SMP doesn’t apply to you.  Don’t worry – there is other help available! Maternity Allowance If you are an Employee Your employer should give you a form called SMP1.

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-38603054517035024252014-09-30T12:41:00.000+01:002014-09-30T12:44:52.068+01:00

Tax Credits are payments from the government that you could be entitled to if you have children.  There are 3 different types of tax credits: Child Tax Credits: if you are responsible for children, you may qualify for Child Tax Credits. You don’t have to be working to claim Child Tax Credits. Working Tax Credits: these are available for people who do or don't have children and who

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-184071145320695092014-07-30T15:26:00.000+01:002014-07-30T15:26:51.135+01:00

Filling in a form to claim Maternity Allowance when you are a self employed Mum sounds pretty straight forward, but there is a MAJOR issue if you hold a Small Earnings Exemption Certificate.  A major issue that could see you losing out on thousands of pounds! I came across this fantastic article by Frances Weir on Helen Lindop's great website www.businessplusbaby.com and felt

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-52669483831476476222014-05-14T15:17:00.000+01:002014-05-14T15:18:05.473+01:00

Millions of people paid too much tax in the last tax year which finished on April 5th. Are you one of those people who are now entitled to a tax refund? Read on and find out! 1)  Find your final Tax Code for 2014 / 2015 If you haven't had it already, your P60 (the end of year statement) detailing your earnings in the job you were in on 5th April should be handed to you soon (and

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-73601384073199624882013-07-31T16:13:00.000+01:002013-07-31T16:13:19.151+01:00

New Dads (or the partners of new mothers) are entitled to 2 weeks Ordinary Paternity Leave when the baby is born and may be entitled to Ordinary Paternity Pay while they are away from work. To qualify for Ordinary Paternity Leave, he must have been with his employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due. He must also be either the: •

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-24538300243269685282013-05-28T21:16:00.000+01:002013-05-28T21:16:04.783+01:00

Have you worn a uniform as an Employee in the last 6 years? Were you paying tax at that time? Did you wash, mend or replace it yourself? Then you could be eligible for a tax rebate! If you have had to wear a uniform for work in the last 6 years and you are responsible for keeping that uniform washed and repaired, it is worth contacting HMRC to ask if you are eligible for a Work

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-249729434237949732013-04-17T23:00:00.000+01:002013-04-17T23:05:45.173+01:00

To help you take time off work with your baby, if you are an employee, you may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) which is a payment from the government and is paid to you via your employer.  (You may also be lucky enough to have this enhanced by a Company maternity scheme). Do I qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)? To qualify for SMP you must meet the

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-53533591906736020352012-10-31T13:00:00.002+00:002012-10-31T13:00:46.810+00:00

I stumbled upon this useful blog post on the Lifestyle Management Blog.  A huge thank you to Julie McMahon who wrote it and Margot Bloom for letting me borrow it! Do you have a jar or pot that you keep all of your loose change, particular 1p and 2p coins in? If so, you are not alone! Thousands of Brits have some sort of container in their house where all loose change is

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-65501948498719609902012-07-11T12:32:00.000+01:002012-07-11T12:32:03.241+01:00

Why should nannies register on the voluntary part of the Ofsted Childcare register? • Parents will be eligible for financial assistance with their childcare costs • Parents will be able to redeem employer-supported vouchers against childcare costs • Increases the nanny’s professional status through having a recognised childcare qualification Who can register? • Nannies who have a recognised

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-62803093090258218852012-07-04T11:22:00.000+01:002012-07-04T11:22:42.281+01:00

What is the greatest gift a parent can give their child?  "The gift of life" I hear you say or teaching them to read and write or eat well or even support Manchester United. Okay I'll give you that, especially the last one. But one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child is a financial head start in life. Think about what today's youngsters will have to deal with in early

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-2094291958339153082012-06-20T12:12:00.000+01:002012-06-20T12:12:21.510+01:00

This week I'm delighted to feature the first of a series of guest blog posts about the importance of making a will when you have children from Linda Fisher of Will Management Services.                                                 If you have children but do not have a

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-33409357890697068442012-06-13T10:21:00.000+01:002012-06-13T10:21:43.789+01:00

Childcare Vouchers, family friendly savings that benefit both employee and employer from kidsunlimited. Childcare vouchers are a tax efficient scheme to provide working parents with tax free help towards paying for childcare.  Every working parent earning above minimum wage is entitled to use between £97 and £243* per month tax free from gross salary towards their

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-22570213253724317712012-02-29T10:36:00.000+00:002012-02-29T10:36:00.112+00:00

Many of you will be receiving your payslips today, but just how many of you actually pay attention to them?  You probably know roughly how much you take home each month, but when was the last time you checked your tax code? 747L The current “normal” tax code is 747L (which gives you a tax free annual allowance of £7,475).  Your tax code may differ from this for a number of reasons

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-33932116285447386352012-02-08T11:52:00.002+00:002012-02-08T12:19:00.941+00:00

Half term arrives next week for many schools (arrgghhh!) so this week I thought it would be good to get together a load of ideas for fun FREE things to do with the kids.A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed!               ●        “Go on a winter 'treasure hunt' & make a collage/winter display when you get

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-6084934977966631632012-01-25T14:19:00.000+00:002012-01-25T14:19:45.538+00:00

One for you business parents this week - more on a saving time theme!  I'm handing over to Angeline Coupland of @networkerplus who tells us all about their Social Media Outsourcing service.  One of the most popular services @networkerplus Social Media offers is outsourcing.           As we always discuss strategy with our customers, we can share the

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-73527367308960328142012-01-18T10:04:00.000+00:002012-01-18T10:04:26.278+00:00

Children’s parties can end up costing a small fortune but there are lots of ways that you can save money and still give your child a fantastic party. My children are now 12 and 14 so I have arranged quite a few birthday parties over the years! Here are some of my money saving tips. Most of these tips and ideas can be adapted for use with parties for both younger and older children.  Having

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-69558322636978663522012-01-11T13:09:00.000+00:002012-01-11T13:09:21.900+00:00

Having a baby is expensive – there’s no getting around that!  Thankfully there is help available to expectant and new parents.  Here’s a quick guide.  Sure Start Maternity GrantA grant of £500 is available to parents-to-be on low incomes to help with preparing all those baby essentials.  To see if you qualify for the grant, please visit:   http://bit.ly/8nHu7E

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-5247555598336574642011-12-07T10:30:00.001+00:002011-12-07T10:30:00.562+00:00

With Christmas shopping in full swing, this week I thought I’d share a few top sites to help Santa find the best deals on everything on his list! King of Comparison Sites:  www.megashopbot.comBrought to you by Martin Lewis and the Money Saving Expert team, this is a great tool which covers books, music, dvds, games, perfume, electronics and more over several comparison sites all at the

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-22542001394405675312011-11-30T09:47:00.000+00:002011-11-30T09:47:32.315+00:00

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make some extra cash you could do worse than sign up with a ‘cash back’ web site. In this guest blog, Lorraine tells us how she discovered cash back sites for the first time and how they have now become a part of her normal online shopping routine. She also gives some top tips for getting the best out of cash back sites and making every penny count so

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-53479178014182523682011-11-23T11:38:00.001+00:002011-11-23T11:38:34.647+00:00

A while ago I asked some lovely Mummies for thier top money saving tips and this is what they came up with:  “Buy toys, equipment clothes etc at he NCT nearly new sales.” “Join Freecycle - all sorts of unwanted items offered for free on there, or you can post a wanted if you need something.” “Best money saving tip I would give is save as soon as you know you're expecting ... I can't believe

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-43460458997408904572011-11-16T11:09:00.000+00:002013-04-27T14:42:25.142+01:00

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Save money with the Utility Warehouse Discount Club You may not have heard of the Utility Warehouse before – that’s the secret to saving lots of money! The company does not advertise in the national press or on TV. Instead, it relies on personal recommendation; satisfied customers letting their friends, family and colleagues know about the savings they have

Zest Payroll Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04378611932683677767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629648747228487145.post-60874151417959192012011-11-09T10:56:00.000+00:002011-11-09T10:56:40.742+00:00

Here at NapNap we are always being told that the NapNap Voucher is a brilliant idea. We know! We are rather proud of it ourselves. And when people ask us how we thought of it, we are ready with our answer. When we had our first babies (and second and third!) we were given bundles of presents. Now this was obviously lovely and some were useful. However, we certainly now have enough babygrows

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